


Shifting Sand

by rudennotgingr



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 06:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1295233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudennotgingr/pseuds/rudennotgingr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor takes Rose to a familiar, yet not familiar beach a week after the events of Doomsday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shifting Sand

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Rointheta, prompt was Ten x Rose, building sand castles. Thanks to imadethisblogtofollowyou and jabber-who-key-11 for the quick betas.

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, squinting in the bright sunlight that warmed her exposed skin. Clad only in a pink bikini top and a pair of denim shorts, she dug her bare toes into the rough sand. She frowned in puzzlement, looking around and taking in the scenery. He had parked them in the middle of a vast stretch of beach, only a short walk from where the waves lapped against the shore. Large cliff faces stood erect at both ends, like permanent guardians, sand giving way to rocks before the ground jutted up towards the sky. The water glinted in the sunlight, yet Rose could tell it was murky, nothing like the crystal clear water of Asterlian. The location wasn't awful, but the Doctor had taken her to plenty of other beaches with landscapes that were truly breathtaking compared to this. Not that she was complaining. She just wondered what had possessed him to bring her here, of all places.

Goose flesh spread over her arms as a chilled breeze rushed past her. She bit her lip, already tasting salt from the sea, and considered darting back inside to grab a light jacket. Turning around, she caught the Doctor leaning casually against the TARDIS, staring at her and wearing only a pair of swim trunks. Something dark and hungry clouded his gaze, causing heat to rise in her cheeks and judging by the way his eyes lingered, her chest had flushed red too. She willed her attention to stay on his face, despite wanting to give his body the same treatment. Meeting her gaze, he blinked, closing his emotions off to her once more. Although his constant hot and cold attitude over the last week was beginning to grate on her nerves, she stretched her hand out to him and wiggled her fingers. She decided to forego the jacket; if he kept looking at her like that she would combust on the spot, jacket or not.

Giving her a guarded smile, he took her hand and led her the short distance to the edge of the water. Rose wished it had been a longer trek. Even though their fingers were twined together, she walked slightly behind him, letting him lead the way. The view she had now was breath taking in a much different way and something she could enjoy now that he wasn't watching her. The Doctor had oddly decided to dress appropriately for their outing. She had long since stopped teasing him for his brown pinstriped swim trunks, after all, they provided a great glimpse of his toned calf muscles. But what drew her focus now was his naked torso, barred only by the occasional swing of their arms. Usually he wore a t-shirt or a vest with the trunks when they went out. But not today. Today she had the perfect view of his bare back. Of the way his lean muscles rippled with his movements, the subtle rise and fall of the dimples in his lower back with each shift of his hips, the--

"Rose?"

"Hmm?" She answered distractedly, tearing her eyes away from his arse. At some point they had stopped walking, her brain apparently defaulting to auto pilot. He was staring at her over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. Oh no, hopefully she hadn't been as blatantly obvious as she thought she had been. She shook her head, blushing from embarrassment, and cleared her throat. "Um...sorry, what did you say?"

"Just that this spot would work. Unless..." He trailed off, fighting a smirk.

"Unless what?" She prompted, attempting to call his bluff.

"Unless you wanted me to keep walking.” He paused, still watching her over his shoulder, mirth dancing in his dark eyes. “I don't want you to _ass_ ume that I would deny your _ass_ istance in _asc_ ertaining a suitable location."

"No!” She burst out. His mouth was open, presumably the next string of words to emphasize that he had indeed caught her ogling his bum on the tip of his tongue. She took a breath and shook her head. “I mean, sorry...can we just...here--here is fine."

"Alright.” He nodded solemnly, but a smile twitched at his mouth. “But,” he began, drawing the word out, his voice a mixture of teasing and tenderness. “I _ass_ ure you...I quite like your… _ass_ istance."

Rose felt her face flush deeper and her heart raced in her chest. "Yeah?" She choked out.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, holding her gaze.

A gull cried out overhead, shattering the moment into pieces and burying them under the sand. The Doctor released her hand and looked away, digging for something inside the pockets of his trunks. Rose inwardly screamed, pressing her nails into the palms of her hands. She closed her eyes to block out the way his bottoms barely clung to his narrow hips as he inadvertently tugged them down in his rush to reach his goal. It was too late, the image was already burned into her brain.

"Ha! Here we are,” he cried triumphantly.

She heard something fall to the sand and opened her eyes as she stepped to his side. Two tiny blue plastic shovels lay haphazardly on the ground. She looked at the Doctor who was grinning madly. He shook two sets of matching buckets in the air before plopping down and patting the sand beside him. Rolling her eyes and fighting a smile, she arranged herself carefully next him, legs crossed and not quite close enough to be touching. He handed her one of the buckets and toed one of the shovels in her direction. Turning it around in her hands, she realized that two more smaller buckets were nestled inside of the largest one.

“Well,” he began, drawing out the word and watching her expectantly. “Do you know what we’re doing?”

“Um, building sandcastles?” She guesses, looking back up at him.

“Rose Tyler, you are downright brilliant. One of the many things I like about you.” He flashed her a dazzling smile before overturning his buckets and setting to work. He surveyed the immediate area, nodded to himself then scooted away and turned so that he was facing her, a small patch of sand now separating them.

Rose played idly with the sand for a few moments, letting the damp grains sift and stick to her fingers. This wasn’t what she had quite expected, but she had learned a long time ago to just go with the flow. Turning just enough so that she could watch him, but without being too obvious, she picked up the largest bucket and began filling it with sand.

Her third attempt finally succeeded in being stable and intact enough that Rose felt confident in attempting to add the next layer. Chancing a quick glance at the Doctor, she immediately regretted doing so. His freckles popped out against his skin from being out in the sun and bits of sand had gotten stuck in the light patch of hair on his chest. For a moment all Rose could do was stare as she watched him breathe, the steady rise and fall off setting the skittering of her heart. Her eyes trailed down to his hands. Watching his fingers smooth and mold the sand had heat coursing through her body and she fought the mad urge to get up and run straight into the water, now only a few feet away.

Mentally kicking herself, she pulled her focus to what he was actually creating with the sand. The bloody git was actually making a full blown castle, complete with finger carved windows and doors. She huffed and turned so her back was to him, knocking her pathetic attempt at a castle down in the process. No matter. Compared to his creation, hers was more of a sand hovel. She smashed what remained of her pile with her fist, releasing some of the tension coiling within.

“You’re never going to build a castle that way,” the Doctor teased from somewhere above her shoulder.

Rose jumped when she turned her head to find him crouched immediately behind her. “Yeah, well...it’s never going to be as good as yours so why bother?”

“It’s not a competition.” A frown settled over his features. “This was supposed to be fun.” His voice was heavy and full of unspoken hurt.

She sighed and looked out at the water, the waves crashing gently over each other. She let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “I’m sorry. It’s just...I don’t really know what I’m doing, yeah?”

“Oh.” There was a beat of silence and she swore she heard him take a deeper breath than usual. “Can I help?”

She looked down at the uneven lump of sand before her and shrugged her shoulders. “Sure.”

Her back stiffened as she felt him scoot up behind her, his chest lightly brushing against her back and his legs sliding through the sand on either side of her, gently resting against her own. They had always been rather tactile, especially after his regeneration, but this...this was new. And she was going to bloody enjoy it. She relaxed against him, closing her eyes and savoring the feel of him around her. Her heart jumped in her throat when she felt his fingers dance over her legs. Her eyes flew open and she willed her body not to freeze up and make it awkward.

“Rose,” he murmured, his voice ghosting over her ear and sending a shiver down her spine.

She swallowed hard and held her hands inches above the sand, no longer sure what to do with her limbs. His hands were curling gently around her calves and she was thankful he couldn’t see the flush in her face. Or the inappropriate ideas that were surely reflected in her eyes.

“I’m just trying to spread your legs,” he stated matter of factly. Rose bit her lip to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside her. She heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. “Er, wait that’s not...I didn’t...that’s not to say I--”

Rose cut him off, no longer able to contain herself, and burst into a fit of giggles, throwing her head back against the Doctor’s shoulder. After a moment, he joined in. His laughter was tense and forced at first, before shifting to true enjoyment. As her laughter slowed, she realized she was fully leaning against him with her hands casually resting atop his where they still gripped her legs. Save the thin strap of her swim top, there was nothing between them. This was skin on skin, grains of sand and the hairs on his chest pricking into her flesh. A fuzzy warmth seeped through her body and she was extremely glad she decided to leave her jacket behind, for a multitude of reasons. She sat forward a bit, feigning the need brush excess sand off her palms.

“Sorry,” he said, his voice tight, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“S’alright,” she replied with a grin she knew he couldn’t see.

“Ok. Now if you could just…” he trailed off, tugging on her legs.

Not trusting herself to speak, she silently stretched out her limbs, entranced by the way his hands pushed and rubbed against her skin with her movement. She placed her own hands in her lap, gripping the hem of her shorts to keep from doing anything stupid. Like resting them on his thighs, just to feel the lean muscles she knew were beneath the thin fabric of his trunks. His hands slid up to her knees, the feel of sand and his skin sweeping over hers sending tiny bolts of electricity through her body. She took several deep breaths and tried to focus on the task at hand. 

“Right, so…” the Doctor began in a husky tone, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Buckets! Never know when you will need a good bucket, well...now I guess is a good example. Although, it's not like we're in danger, just building sand castles. And it was intentional. Still...the principle is the same I suppose. Anyway..."

For the next fifteen minutes, the Doctor rambled on about buckets and sand castles and the best sand to use and anything Rose could have ever wanted (or not wanted) to know about their activity for today. His voice, normally a source of calm, was throwing her off balance, its warm tone rumbling through her body and rubbing her in all the wrong places. Or right, as the case may be...just not right for how things were currently between them, as just best mates.

She wanted more, the intimacy, the closeness, the _dancing_. And there were times she thought he did as well. They had come close to crossing the line from friends into something more so many times that Rose wasn't even sure where the line was anymore. Not that she minded. If this was all she would ever get from him, she would gladly take it and never regret the choice she had made a week ago. The choice to stay behind, with him, while her mother went with an alternate version of her father into the parallel world. She would never regret that choice. Not ever. 

But for a moment she thought she had lost it all, her family and the Doctor, as her lever had slipped out of position. She had managed to push it upright and hold on just long enough for the void to close before her fingers slipped and she collapsed on the cool concrete floor. She had known from his face and the desperate way he had held her, murmuring her name over and over like a prayer, that the Doctor had thought the same thing she did. That she had almost been lost to him forever.

She’d selfishly hoped that the incident would be enough to push him over the edge. That he would finally let her in completely. But she was wrong. He worked tirelessly the first three days to find a way for her to say goodbye to her mum, a gift she was eternally grateful for. After that...he had settled back into a frustrating cycle of pushing her away only to yank her back. The habit that they had established of sharing a bed after the run in with the beast had stopped. She wasn't sure if he had even slept since before the Cybermen and the Daleks.

They hadn't even left the TARDIS until today. Which brought her back to wondering, why here? There was something about the place, a tug at the back of her mind, a tiny voice screaming of heartache and loss. She didn't understand it. She had never been here before, there was no reason to feel wary.

So wrapped up in thoughts and trying to ignore the images the Doctor's body wrapped around her was invoking, Rose knocked her bucket into him, spilling sand all over his leg.

"Shit, sorry," she said, dropping her bucket and brushing the sand off his knee. Why it was important that she get all the sand off of him when they were at the beach and he was likely already covered in it didn't hit her until a full five second later. Instead of jerking away, the gears in her brain slowly ground to a stop, her hands changing from quick swats to slow, deliberate strokes that ran up and down his shin. By the time she realized what she was doing, and noted his slight shiver at her touch, it was too late. She froze, hands on either side of his calf.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor whispered, his voice low and full of concern.

She pulled her hands away reluctantly, brushing them together and sitting up straighter. "Why did you bring me here?" She asked, keeping her tone neutral.

"Because I wanted to have some fun," he hedged and she felt him lean away, braced on his hands in the sand.

She shifted and turned to look at him, the circles around his eyes only adding to her disbelief of his statement. She arched an eyebrow. "That's all?"

His dark eyes bore into her, daring her to keep challenging him. She did, returning his stare and refusing to back down. After a tense pause he deflated. "No," he mumbled slumping his shoulders and looking away from her.

"Well?" she prodded gently. "Where is here?"

"Bad Wolf Bay," he stated, a brief flicker of pain darting across his face before the mask was back in place.

Her face wrinkled in confusion. That's where her mum had been when she had told her goodbye. She swiveled her head, looking around for any sign of her family. Or even another person. "But I thought.." she trailed off, the confusion to thick to allow hope to bloom in her chest.

"They won't be here. This is still our universe."

"Oh." She looked back to him, still not understanding. "So why...why would you bring me here? Why bring us?"

"I saw it. I saw _all_ of it." He clenched his jaw, causing the muscle there to pop out. She saw the tension in his shoulders, could feel it radiating off of him in thick waves that crashed against the gentle surf behind her. Dark clouds gathered in eyes, echoing a sadness she hadn't seen so prominent in a long time.

"I don't understand." Rose twisted sideways between his legs, so she wouldn't have to strain her neck to see him. She stretched her legs underneath where he had his knee propped up, her heart stopping as he shifted to help her, his swim trunks riding high up his thigh. Unease settled in her stomach as she rested her arm on the leg that was supporting her back, half turned to face him. She hoped it wasn't too much. Anyone who would happen upon them would take them for a couple, cuddling close and sharing secrets. Something she feared he might see as too domestic. The Doctor merely watched her move, then adjusted his leg to better support her weight. Deciding he wasn't going to run, she urged him on. "Just tell me."

He eyed her closely, before nodding. "For every action you make, every choice, there are hundreds of thousands of possibilities that those will lead to. I can sense time lines, I can see those possibilities. Mind you, I don't make a habit of looking too closely, especially when it concerns those I travel with." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, frowning as he remembered the sand coating his fingers. She fought a smile as he shook his head, sand falling onto his shoulder and pelting her skin. His eyes softened and he reached to brush sand off her shoulder. Her breath caught in her throat as he let his hand linger, his thumb drawing small circles on her skin. "Especially when it concerns you...or myself for that matter. Anyway...in--in Torchwood, when the lever slipped...for one painfully clear moment, I saw you fall. I saw you slip."

"But I didn't. I'm right here." Without thinking, she pulled his hand to her cheek, trying to fight off the despair he seemed determined to give in to. "See? Everything's fine, I'm not dead."

A moment of silence settled over them as they gazed into the other's eyes, fighting a wordless battle over something Rose still hadn't fully comprehended. He leaned forward slightly and his thumb grazed lightly over her cheek. Her stomach fluttered with nerves, knowing full well he wouldn't _actually_ kiss her. Would he? 

"That's not all," he said softly, shaking his head. "Pete saved you. You didn't die. I lost you. Forever. And instead of me finding a way for you to see Jackie..." He drew in a shuddering breath and pressed his forehead to hers. The shift in his weight caused their legs to tangle together, even though bending her knees wasn't exactly necessary, save the one at her side. His face was so close and she held fast to his hand still cupping her cheek, her other hand resting lightly on his chest for lack of a more appropriate location. He didn't seemed bothered or affected by their new position. It was all Rose could do to keep her breathing even, desperately attempting to not give herself away. His eyes were haunted as they bored into hers and when he continued speaking his voice was hoarse and broken. "I was finding a way to say goodbye to you. And I can tell you that it took a lot more than three days."

"Is..." Rose paused, needing to collect her thoughts. "Is that why you've been acting strange?"

"What?" The Doctor asked, pulling his head back to, clearly stunned by her question.

"Stranger than usual, I mean. You know what, forget it. I'm sorry, I--"

"No, no. No. What is it?" He was staring at her so earnestly, his sadness temporarily set aside so that the warmth she knew to be there shone through. He continued to gently stroke her cheek, making Rose wonder if maybe now was as good a time as any.

"It's just..." She bit her lip and looked over his shoulder, missing the way his eyes slipped to where her teeth dug into flesh, then continued on in a rush. "I thought after what happened.. that you and I, that we would finally...but if seeing _that_ hasn't made you cross the line, then I don’t think anything ever will. And that's fine, I don't--"

His mouth crashed into hers, swallowing whatever made-up rationale she had at the ready. Her eyes blew wide at first, him kissing her silent being the last thing she expected from her confession. His tongue prodded the seam of her lips, and she readily opened for him, her eyes fluttering shut as he pushed into her mouth. Her brain snapped everything into place at once and she scratched lightly at his chest, sliding her tongue roughly over his.

Limbs became twisted and hands gripped whatever bit of body they could find as he scrambled to pull her completely into his lap. His lips moved urgently over hers, the clawing desperation felt clearly with each swipe of his tongue. She kissed him back just as fiercely, needing him to know that she was here and alive and never leaving his side.

With a tug on her hips, the Doctor yanked her towards him, his enthusiasm causing him to tumble backwards into the coarse sand as her momentum carried her forward. Their legs kicked out, both sprawling over the ground and sending sand spraying through the air. Rose broke the kiss, grinning at him as he pouted up at her, the jut of his lower lip making it hard to think about anything besides grabbing it with her teeth.

"I think we just destroyed our sand castle," she murmured. His hands ghosted up her sides and then down over her back, making her shiver. His pout shifted to a smirk and if it hadn’t felt so bloody brilliant she would have smacked him.

"Would you like to roll around with me some more and destroy another one?" He waggled his brows in a playful manner, but she didn't miss the tender sincerity in his eyes.

Rose looked to where the castle he had constructed alone stood erect, pristine and perfect, just behind them. It would take some maneuvering of their bodies to get there...a few tumbles in the sand. She refocused on his face as he waited patiently beneath her. It would be worth it.

She dipped down, her fingers delving into his grain flecked hair and mumbled against his lips.

"Always."


End file.
